NGO Regional Meeting
Afghan Refugees and Returnees: Challenges & Opportunities
Preface:
It has been 30 years since a massive influx of refugees and migrants moved out of Afghanistan. Today Afghans make up the largest refugee and migrant community in the world. Despite the overthrow of Afghanistan’s political regime in 2002 and paramount international cooperation in restructuring the country, Afghanistan still faces critical barriers to development. Consequently, many barriers still exist to the return of millions of Afghanistan’s nationals to their homes and towns.
The first regional meeting of national and international NGOs working in refugee related domains, specifically Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan, was held on April 11-12, 2013 in Tehran, Iran. The meeting, entitled “Afghan Refugees/Returnees: Challenges and Opportunities,” aimed to allow active NGOs in Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan that play a vital role in strategic planning for Afghan refugees and migrants as well as improving the lives of the vulnerable within Afghanistan to share their experiences and innovative ideas. Through the sharing of information it is hoped that clear strategies and plans can be made to better meet the needs of vulnerable Afghans living both inside and out of Afghanistan.
The meeting aimed at achieving the following objectives:
1. Paving the grounds for better regional communication and coordination in order to exchange information and best practices to improve refugee livelihoods in destination countries as well as share strategies to facilitate the sustainable return of Afghan refugees and migrants to Afghanistan.
2. Reviewing national plans and policies related to Afghan migrants, refugees and returnees; identifying their weaknesses and strengths.
3. Professional examination of both the challenges and opportunities facing Afghan refugees and returnees in order to improve the efficiency of suggested solutions.
4. Familiarizing participating organizations with goals and strategic plans suggested in the document Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees (SSAR).
In order to plan for the sustainable return of Afghan refugees and migrants – which has been underway for more than three decades – all social, cultural and economic dimensions must be taken into consideration. Furthermore, it is necessary to define and develop plans targeted at the mental and emotional preparation of the young Afghan refugees in order to maximize their involvement in the socio-political development of Afghanistan. Individual and social empowerment should also be considered in the strategic planning for Afghan refugees and returnees.
Participants in the meeting included over 40 national and international NGOs as well as United Nations agencies from Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Additional notable participants included representatives of the Iranian Government and executive bodies involved in refugee and migrant affairs. Furthermore, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was also present for the meetings and played a significant role in the opening and closing ceremonies.
NGO Regional Meeting
Afghan Refugees and Returnees: Challenges & Opportunities
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Based upon a prior needs analysis by domestic and international participants, specialized working groups were formed to define the meeting’s goals and topics of conversation; in which public, private and international participants provided their views and ideas to shape the meeting. The findings and results from each working group appear in the present report.
The present report was made possible through the collaboration of executive organizations and bodies, international organizations and a number of individual volunteers:
1. Department of International – Social Cooperation – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran
2. Department of Public Diplomacy – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran
3. Department of Consular Affairs – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran
4. Bureau of Aliens and Foreign Nationals and Immigrants Affairs (BAFIA) – Ministry of Interior of the Islamic Republic of Iran
5. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) – Iran
6. Country Office of Danish Refugee Council (DRC) in Iran
7. Country Office of ICRI in Iran
8. Rebirth Society – Iran
9. Experts and Executive Partners from HAMI Association in Tehran and Mashhad
10. All volunteers who helped in executive phases of the meeting.
Finally, we are grateful for the financial assistance provided by UNHCR- Iran, DRC-Iran, and the Welfare Services and Social Cooperation of Tehran Municipality, who’s supported covered expenses for different activities of the regional meeting.
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